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Bravery award
TWO Hertfordshire firefighters who died trying to rescue two people from a tower block fire in February 2005 (see FP&FEJ, March 2005, p.3) have been posthumously honoured with the George Medal for their ‘acts of great bravery’. Michael Miller, 26, and Jeff Wornham, 28, rescued one resident from a flat at Harrow Court, Stevenage, but later ignored their own safety to help rescue another person who was trapped on the 14th floor. All three perished when the fire intensified. The families of the two men will receive the awards from the Queen in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace later in the year.
Nightclub fined
A NIGHTCLUB has been fined £41,000 after pleading guilty to 12 fire safety offences. Redbridge Magistrates’ Court heard that there were numerous fire safety failures at the Penthouse and Room at the Top nightclub in High Road, Illford – run by Nightway Limited. The breaches included wedged-open fire doors; no clear escape routes; and an exit staircase obstructed by rubbish. The case arose after officers from London Fire Brigade’s Redbridge team were called to a fire alarm at the premises and subsequently carried out an inspection identifying the contraventions.
Refinery blast
THREE PEOPLE were injured and another hospitalised after an explosion and fire at a refinery in Philadelphia, USA, on 10 December. Reports say the explosion ‘shook’ the refinery. Attending firefighters sprayed large quantities of water and foam to cover the vast area that was on fire, and contained the blaze within 30 minutes of arriving at the scene. Philadelphia Fire Department believes that a welding torch sparked off an explosion in an oil tank. An investigation is under way.
ADC agreement
A MEMORANDUM of understanding (MOU) relating to assessment and development centres (ADCs) has been signed by three Scottish fires services. Grampian, Highlands and Islands, and Tayside fire and rescue services have signed the MOU to ensure the effective cooperation and management of ADCs between the three services. The MOU will help to deliver valid, effective, fair, reliable and quality-assured ADCs, which are used to identify brigade staff who are suitable for promotion and potential leadership roles.
Councillor charter
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE Fire and Rescue Authority has signed-up to a nationally recognised development programme – the Regional Councillor Development Charter – to help councillors better serve their communities. The authority is one of the first in England to pledge its commitment to achieving ‘charter status’ and will need to meet an action plan of targets by the end of 2008 that include making sure councillors have a good work-life balance and that individual training needs are identified. The charter also aims to champion best practice in councillor development.
Sports evacuation
OVER 50 people were evacuated from a sports centre in North London on 8 December after an asphyxiating chemical leaked from a cracked pipe in the centre’s plant room. Four fire engines, including a chemical biological and nuclear unit, as well as command and scientific units, coordinated a response of isolation, containment and then monitoring. London Fire Brigade support teams wore protective clothing and tried to stop the leak while setting up an exclusion zone.
FIA pledge
THE FIRE Industry Association’s (FIA’s) new chairman, Martin Harvey, has pledged to help drive down the economic cost of UK fires (estimated at £7bn a year) by making businesses aware of their responsibilities under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order in England and Wales. At the FIA Annual General Meeting in November, Mr Harvey spoke of the need to further reduce the number of fire deaths and increase levels of competency in order to ‘reverse the trend for large loss fires’. He went on to say that the FIA’s skilled operatives are willing to distribute further information about the Order and to collect feedback to enable fire stakeholders to better improve the levels of fire safety in the UK.
Mine explosion
AT LEAST 150 people died in an explosion at a mine in China on 5 December. The massive gas explosion happened at a mine in the Shanxi province of Northern China. Emergency workers attending the scene pumped out lethal carbon monoxide from a coal shaft in a bid to rescue trapped survivors. Reports indicated that two mine officials were arrested on charges of trying to cover up the incident.
Road campaign
KENT FIRE and Rescue Service’s hard-hitting campaign Licence to kill – which reminds young drivers of their responsibilities on the road – has won the gold prize at the Chartered Institute of Public Relations Pride Awards. Aimed at 16 to 18 year-olds, Licence to kill uses the medium of theatre and film production to explore the circumstances of a road traffic collision. A dedicated website, www.licencetokill.org/, incorporates a forum area for children affected by the campaign to share their feelings online.
London safety plan
THE NEW Fire Commissioner for London, Ron Dobson, has set out his three-year vision for a safer capital. The draft plan – to be agreed in March – sets out key priorities for London Fire Brigade (LFB). They include a continuing programme of home fire safety visits; a reduction in the number of unnecessary brigade call-outs; and more high-profile campaign work to improve community safety. The brigade will also focus on addressing antisocial behaviour and promoting social inclusion.
The London Safety Plan is currently subject to public consultation. More information is available from www.london-fire.gov.uk/yourviews. The consultation ends on 15 February.
Joining forces
THE FIRE and Security Association (FSA) has joined forces with SELECT, Scotland’s trade association for the electrical, electronics and communications systems industry. As a result of the move, the number of FSA members has doubled to 200 firms, comprising around 100 security specialists and over 100 fire specialists. The move will enable FSA to develop a suitable national system of qualifications and training for individuals working in the electronic, fire and security systems industry.
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